In the News (Sat 25 May 19)

When classifying genre, especially a genre as wide-ranging as horror, it is necessary to strike a balance between flexibility and prescription since genre is, in Andrew Tudor's words, `a social construction and as such is subject to constant negotiation and re-formulation' [2].

Art--dread, however, does not cover the films in the psyche category which, in the main, remain on the margins of Carroll's art--horror, the degree of marginality or exclusion depending on the extent to which the demonic is invoked in tandem with psychosis.

In its very nature, these films suppose, the psyche nurtures the seeds of its own destruction, and the contingent corruption occasioned by a desire for knowledge, ambition and progress; horror movie psychosis is deep- rooted human malevolence made manifest [14].

The horrorfilm is often associated with low budgets and exploitation, but major studios and well-respected directors have made intermittent forays into the genre.

The Canadian filmCube (1997) was perhaps one of the few horrorfilms of the 1990s to be based around a relatively novel concept; it was able to evoke a wide range of different fears, and touched upon a variety of social themes (such as fear of bureaucracy) that had previously been unexplored.

Other advances in horror were in Japanese animation (for example the gruesome 'guro' animation), as Japanese culture reached new heights of popularity in the West (although the first horror-themed anime had begun appearing in the West by the late 1980s).

Horrorfilms are often combined with science fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens.

The fantasy and supernaturalfilm genres are not synonymous with the horror genre, although thrillerfilms may have some relation when they focus on the revolting and horrible acts of the killer/madman.

Horrorfilms, when done well and with less reliance on horrifying special effects, can be extremely potent film forms, tapping into our dream states and the horror of the irrational and unknown, and the horror within man himself.

The film was an unexpectedly big hit, and led to an almost equally popular 1957sequel Quatermass 2 — again adapted from one of Kneale's television scripts, this time by Kneale himself and with a budget double that of the original: £92,000.

The commercial failure of this film led to another change of style with the latter two films, which were not period pieces like their predecessors, but had a then-contemporary 1970s London setting.

In the latter part of the 1970s, Hammer made fewer films, and attempts were made to break away from the then-unfashionable Gothichorrorfilms on which the studio had built its reputation.

This meant the film was already a financial success before it was released - and when it was, the buzz caused by strong reviews and powerful word-of-mouth saw it become one of the most successful Australian films of the past decade.

On the brink of the film's release McLean, 36, is a chatty ball of nervous energy.

The films were full of knowing winks to the audience and continual, often irritating references to the form itself.

These efforts have typically taken the form of either interpretive analysis (of a particular film, subgenre, or the genre as a whole) or depth-psychological explanation (of the symbolic/mythic import of horrorfilmmonsters; of the horror affect and how it is generated; of the possibly perverse pleasures viewers obtain from being frightened by visible fictions).

Most psychoanalytic horrorfilm theorists to date have not proven very open to revising their particular accounts as a result of critical engagement with the work of others operating even from within the psychoanalytic paradigm.

As a form of modern defilement rite, the horrorfilm attempts to separate out the symbolic order from all that threatens its stability, particularly the mother and all that her universe signifies.

www.sensesofcinema.com /contents/01/15/horror_psych.html (2158 words)

The Wickerman: Horror Film based on Ancient Celtic Fertility Rite(Site not responding. Last check: )

Few people realize, however, that the film's plot was based on an ancient fertility rite that takes place during the Beltane (May) festival of the old Celtic Calendar.

Although The Wicker Man has been described by those who've seen it as a campy, low budget, B-grade horrorfilm, it is nonetheless very accurate in terms of the Beltane fertility rituals it portrays.

And thirty years after its release, the Wicker Man is still one of the most sought-after horrorfilms of its kind.

This film is a psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

One has to appreciate horrorfilms of the past that carried their weight from start to finish even before computer generated special effects came about.

Classic cult and horrorfilms relied heavily on music, a great story and the right direction as can be seen in the classic film "Jaws." The musical score in this film set the mood of intensity as we watched and anticipated Jaws' next move.

Thanks in large part to the phenomenal success of two upstart film festivals in Montreal, producers and distributors are beginning to take note of the huge popularity of fright films, and of their considerable box-office potential.

A scout for Dimension Films, a division of Miramax, was in the audience for Sur le seuil’s premiere.

Local films done on the cheap may not sound appetizing, except when one considers that ultra-low-budget filmmaking conditions and unknown actors have often been staples of some of the very best horror movies anywhere.

A discussion panel on the horrorfilm genre will be held on Saturday July 5th from 12pm - 2pm at the Velvet Lounge (next door to the Flying Scottsman) Beaufort St Mt Lawley.

A Night of Horror is proud to present a bonechilling line-up of Canada's best and bloodiest short horrorhorrorfilms, screening as part of Possible Worlds: Sydney's Canadian Film Festival.

The line-up of films at last year's It Came From was fantastic, and we look forward to bringing the winning film from the 2007 festival to Sydney.

www.anightofhorror.com (1298 words)

Horror Film Aesthetics(Site not responding. Last check: )

Horrorfilm and book reviews by Thomas M. Sipos, author of Vampire Nation and Halloween Candy.

If you find them enlightening, you may enjoy my horrorfilm analyses, "The Pragmatic Aesthetics of Low-Budget Horror Cinema" and "But Is It Horror?: Defining and Demarcating the Genre," available in Halloween Candy.

Robert Hood, the widely published horror-fantasy author and writer of several articles on the horror and zombiefilm genres, believes there might be both cerebral and practical reasons for this.

The MIFF judges said the award was "for daring to be everything that Australian films are not supposed to be: part of a popular, disreputable genre".

Robert Hood says one of the themes dealt with in zombiefilms is the issue of mortality, a theme he refers to as the "de-hexing of mortality", where "filmic existence of these living dead also allows us to fight back at death, in our imaginations at least".

Film fans who share this sites advocacy of classic horror might find Stanley too generous to slasher films, but apart from occasional lapses, his opinions are generally in line with most fans I encounter.

Its an attempt to separate 147;gothic; films from the mass of ill-defined horror cinema that encompasses gore flicks, suspensers and psychological shockers.

Films Everson considers major are treated in separate, in-depth chapters, remarkable for their detail; other sections are surveys of movies with particular monsters or themes.

She was offered a few horror roles but instead she chose a political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate, and a musical comedy, Bye Bye Birdie, where her vivacity and intelligence continued to win fans.

This was a horror story with multiple monsters ; a domineering mother, a predatory homosexual, and a band of swinging delinquents.

Nor was Robert Taylor, unmasked at the end of the film as a madman in contact lenses, but Stanwyck was as good a screamer as she was an actress.

Film Threat is the number one destination on the Internet for consumers seeking an alternate take about mainstream movies as well as stories on independent and underground cinema.

Film Threat was founded by in 1985 by Chris Gore as an underground fanzine based in Detroit.

In addition to running Film Threat, Chris Gore is the author of "The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide" and is host of "Ultimate Film Fanatic" on the Independent Film Channel.

hollywoodawards.com /horror.html (470 words)

The Overlook Film Encyclopedia : Horror (The Overlook Film Encyclopedia Series) - RadioDirectory.com(Site not responding. Last check: )

The book is filled with short to medium length reviews of horrorfilms from every period in film history (up to 1992) and every nation which dabbles in the genre.

This encyclopedia treats the horrorfilmgenre as it should be treated, an important and vital field of art with a history and voice to be heard.

This book has it's flaws, there is no doubt about that, various films are missing, the writing is overly politically correct, almost every film is considered either racist or homophobic and every time a women is killed it is because the director either hates or fears women.

The 2006 Rhode Island International HorrorFilm Festival will start off it’s season with a tribute to Rhode Islands Premiere horror scribe H.P. Lovecraft with a showing of “THE CALL OF THE CTHULHU” A film Made by the H.P. Lovecraft historical society.

The Horror Festival is an eerie-sistable salute to an often overlooked genre that will include numerous world premieres of shorts and features including the best of films submitted in competition from all over the globe.

All proceeds generated by the Rhode Island International HorrorFilm Festival will be dedicated to the Patricia Neal Scholarship Fund that is designed to help area college students pursue studies in the film arts.

2007Horror sci-fi film festival WRAP UP The second annual International Horror and Science Fiction Film Festival was distinct leap forward from the first year, which by all measures was excellent to begin with.

The level of organization with which the festival was operated was quite clear with nearly every filmmaker remarking how well the festival was run and how well they were treated.

We have begun to build a fan following with many repeat festival goers from last year as well as many new faces...